SOT-MRAM 300mm integration for low power and ultrafast embedded memories

We demonstrate for the first time full-scale integration of top-pinned perpendicular MTJ on 300 mm wafer using CMOS-compatible processes for spin-orbit torque (SOT)-MRAM architectures. We show that 62 nm devices with a W-based SOT underlayer have very large endurance (> 5x10^10), sub-ns switching time of 210 ps, and operate with power as low as 300 pJ.Comment: presented at VLSI2018 session C8-

Study Protocol on Cognitive Performance in Bulgaria, Croatia, and the Netherlands: The Normacog Brief Battery

The Normacog Brief Battery (NBB) provides a comprehensive overview of an individual’s cognitive functioning within a short amount of time. It was originally developed for the Spanish population in Spain. However, there is a considerable need for brief batteries in clinical neuropsychological assessment, especially in eastern European countries. Cultural background and other individual characteristics—such as age, level of education, and sex—are shown to influence both cognition and patients’ performance on neuropsychological tests. Therefore, it is important to develop understanding of how and why culture impacts on cognitive testing and determine which sociodemographic variables affect cognitive performance. The current study aims to translate, adapt, and standardize the NBB in Bulgaria, Croatia, and the Netherlands, and to analyze the effect of sex, age, and education level on cognitive performance between these three countries. This brief battery assesses eleven cognitive domains, including those most currently relevant in cognition such as premorbid intelligence, attention, executive function, processing speed, and memory. The translation and adaptation of the battery for different cultures will be done using the back-translation process. After exclusion criteria, the current study will include a total sample of three hundred participants (≥18 years old). The samples of 100 participants per country will be balanced through the consideration of their age and level of education. Effects of the sociodemographic variables (age, level of education, and sex) on cognitive performance are expected. Furthermore, this relationship is expected to differ across countries. A multivariate hierarchical linear regression will be used and exploratory analysis will be carried out to investigate further effects. The results will be particularly valuable for future research and assessment in cognitive performance. The growing demand for accurate and fast neuropsychological assessment shows the importance of creating a universal brief assessment tool for wider cross-cultural application

Predicting RNA-Protein Interactions Using Only Sequence Information

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>RNA-protein interactions (RPIs) play important roles in a wide variety of cellular processes, ranging from transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression to host defense against pathogens. High throughput experiments to identify RNA-protein interactions are beginning to provide valuable information about the complexity of RNA-protein interaction networks, but are expensive and time consuming. Hence, there is a need for reliable computational methods for predicting RNA-protein interactions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We propose <b><it>RPISeq</it></b>, a family of classifiers for predicting <b><it>R</it></b>NA-<b><it>p</it></b>rotein <b><it>i</it></b>nteractions using only <b><it>seq</it></b>uence information. Given the sequences of an RNA and a protein as input, <it>RPIseq </it>predicts whether or not the RNA-protein pair interact. The RNA sequence is encoded as a normalized vector of its ribonucleotide 4-mer composition, and the protein sequence is encoded as a normalized vector of its 3-mer composition, based on a 7-letter reduced alphabet representation. Two variants of <it>RPISeq </it>are presented: <it>RPISeq-SVM</it>, which uses a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier and <it>RPISeq-RF</it>, which uses a Random Forest classifier. On two non-redundant benchmark datasets extracted from the Protein-RNA Interface Database (PRIDB), <it>RPISeq </it>achieved an AUC (Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve) of 0.96 and 0.92. On a third dataset containing only mRNA-protein interactions, the performance of <it>RPISeq </it>was competitive with that of a published method that requires information regarding many different features (e.g., mRNA half-life, GO annotations) of the putative RNA and protein partners. In addition, <it>RPISeq </it>classifiers trained using the PRIDB data correctly predicted the majority (57-99%) of non-coding RNA-protein interactions in NPInter-derived networks from <it>E. coli, S. cerevisiae, D. melanogaster, M. musculus</it>, and <it>H. sapiens</it>.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our experiments with <it>RPISeq </it>demonstrate that RNA-protein interactions can be reliably predicted using only sequence-derived information. <it>RPISeq </it>offers an inexpensive method for computational construction of RNA-protein interaction networks, and should provide useful insights into the function of non-coding RNAs. <it>RPISeq </it>is freely available as a web-based server at <url>http://pridb.gdcb.iastate.edu/RPISeq/.</url></p

The Lsm1-7/Pat1 complex binds to stress-activated mRNAs and modulates the response to hyperosmotic shock

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) establish the cellular fate of a transcript, but an understanding of these processes has been limited by a lack of identified specific interactions between RNA and protein molecules. Using MS2 RNA tagging, we have purified proteins associated with individual mRNA species induced by osmotic stress, STL1 and GPD1. We found members of the Lsm1-7/Pat1 RBP complex to preferentially bind these mRNAs, relative to the non-stress induced mRNAs, HYP2 and ASH1. To assess the functional importance, we mutated components of the Lsm1-7/Pat1 RBP complex and analyzed the impact on expression of osmostress gene products. We observed a defect in global translation inhibition under osmotic stress in pat1 and lsm1 mutants, which correlated with an abnormally high association of both non-stress and stress-induced mRNAs to translationally active polysomes. Additionally, for stress-induced proteins normally triggered only by moderate or high osmostress, in the mutants the protein levels rose high already at weak hyperosmosis. Analysis of ribosome passage on mRNAs through co-translational decay from the 5' end (5P-Seq) showed increased ribosome accumulation in lsm1 and pat1 mutants upstream of the start codon. This effect was particularly strong for mRNAs induced under osmostress. Thus, our results indicate that, in addition to its role in degradation, the Lsm1-7/Pat1 complex acts as a selective translational repressor, having stronger effect over the translation initiation of heavily expressed mRNAs. Binding of the Lsm1-7/Pat1p complex to osmostress-induced mRNAs mitigates their translation, suppressing it in conditions of weak or no stress, and avoiding a hyperresponse when triggered

A Systems Biology Approach Reveals the Role of a Novel Methyltransferase in Response to Chemical Stress and Lipid Homeostasis

Using small molecule probes to understand gene function is an attractive approach that allows functional characterization of genes that are dispensable in standard laboratory conditions and provides insight into the mode of action of these compounds. Using chemogenomic assays we previously identified yeast Crg1, an uncharacterized SAM-dependent methyltransferase, as a novel interactor of the protein phosphatase inhibitor cantharidin. In this study we used a combinatorial approach that exploits contemporary high-throughput techniques available in Saccharomyces cerevisiae combined with rigorous biological follow-up to characterize the interaction of Crg1 with cantharidin. Biochemical analysis of this enzyme followed by a systematic analysis of the interactome and lipidome of CRG1 mutants revealed that Crg1, a stress-responsive SAM-dependent methyltransferase, methylates cantharidin in vitro. Chemogenomic assays uncovered that lipid-related processes are essential for cantharidin resistance in cells sensitized by deletion of the CRG1 gene. Lipidome-wide analysis of mutants further showed that cantharidin induces alterations in glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid abundance in a Crg1-dependent manner. We propose that Crg1 is a small molecule methyltransferase important for maintaining lipid homeostasis in response to drug perturbation. This approach demonstrates the value of combining chemical genomics with other systems-based methods for characterizing proteins and elucidating previously unknown mechanisms of action of small molecule inhibitors

Nurses' perceptions of aids and obstacles to the provision of optimal end of life care in ICU

Contains fulltext : 172380.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

The role of Chiari`s network in cardiovascular pathology

Introduction: The Chiari network, encountered infrequently in the right atrium, is a fenestrated, net-like embryonic remnant of the right valve of sinus venosus, lying closely in relation to the inferior vena cava and coronary sinus, sometimes connecting these with other right atrial structures. It is believed to be of little clinical significance. Aim: The aim of this work is to discuss the role of Chiari`s network in various cardiovascular pathologies.Material and methods: The Chiari network results from failure of resorption of the right sided sinus venosus valve. Developmentally, the right valve of sinus venosus evolves into two valves: the valve of the inferior vena cava (Eustachian valve) and the valve of the coronary sinus (Thebesian valve). During involution of these valves, tissue undergoes fenestration so that a network may be formed from remnants that usually disappear. The prevalence of Chiari network has been reported to be variable 2-13.6%. However, numerous researches have shown that this remnant is frequently associated with different cardiovascular pathologies such as patent foramen ovale, atrial septal aneurysm, paroxysmal arterial embolic events etc.Results: The most recent researches have shown that although Chiari`s network is in some cases associated with other pathological findings, these combinations may be merely coincidental. It has been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of thromboembolic disease, endocarditis, arrhythmias, and entrapment of catheters upon percutaneous intervention.Conclusion: In conclusion, nowadays  Chiari`s network is regarded a benign and normal anatomic variant that is rarely of clinical importance. It is overall an uncommon diagnosis and plays a role only as long as it concerns diagnostics, because if not recognized appropriately it may lead to misdiagnosis

Dandy-Walker malformation - a review

Introduction: Dandy-Walker malformation (DWM) is a rare congenital disorder that involves the cerebellum and the fourth ventricle. The absence or hypoplasy of the vermis, cystic dilatation of the fourth ventricle and enlarged posterior fossa are the key features of the malformation. These abnormalities often result in problems with movement, coordination, intellect, mood, and other neurological functions. Symptoms often occur in infancy and the most common clinical manifestation (20-80% of the cases) is hydrocephaly which leads to macrocephaly.Aims: The aim of this work is to underline the ethiology, diagnosis, neuroanatomy, and threatment of Dandy-Walker syndrome.Materials and methods: We present a review of recent studies, including case reports and MRI scans of patients suffering from DWM.Results: Although its pathogenesis is not completely understood, there are several genetic loci related to DWM. Multiple genetic and environmental factors likely play a part in determining the risk of developing this disorder. The condition can be a feature of other hereditary diseases, such as Edwards syndrome (trisomy 18). Imaging modallies - computerised tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound  are crucial for the diagnosis of DWM and distinguishing this disorder from other cystic posterior fossa lesions. Most cases of DWM are associated with anomalies of other areas of the the central nerves system including absence of corpus callosum and displasia of the cingulate gyrus. The treatment is mainly surgical - endoscopic or creating a shunt.Conclusion: DWM carries a high mortality rate ~70% in live born fetuses, often due to associated abnormalities. It is thought to carry a poorer prognosis if diagnosed prior to 21 weeks of gestation and better prognosis if diaginosed postnatally